Guide to hardness in badminton stringing – how many kilos is right for you?

When we talk about stringing in badminton, it is important to understand that the weight of a string has a huge impact on how the racket reacts. The weight determines both how much power and control you get, and what type of player the stringing is best suited for.

Less hard stringing – under 11 kg

Anything under 11 kilos is referred to as low kilos. This type of stringing is typically used by young beginners because it provides a large sweet spot and makes it easier to hit the ball cleanly. With low hardness you get more help in generating power, but this is only up to a certain point. If you as an experienced player get all the way down to around 9–10 kilos, you will actually find that you lose power instead of gaining more. On the other hand, it works well for players without that much experience.

Medium line-up – 11 to 12.5 kg

The most common and recommended level for most players is between 11 and 12.5 kilos. If you are around 14 years old or older and play at a recreational or club level, this hardness range is almost always the right choice. Here you get a good balance between power and precision. The strings still provide a nice sweet spot, so you are not punished too much if you hit a little dirty, while at the same time you achieve significantly better control over your shots than with the very low kilos. Therefore, most players should start here when they want to find a stable starting point.

Hard line-up – over 12.5 kg

Anything over 12.5 kilos is considered heavy kilos, and it is only for very experienced players with solid technique and experience. And no matter how experienced you are, we do not recommend it if you are under 15 years old, as high kilos can cause problems in the arm. On the other hand, you lose some power, because the strings do not provide as much power. It therefore requires that you can generate power yourself through technique and strength. For those who can handle it, heavy kilos give a feeling of total control and precise strokes, but for a player without the necessary technique it can result in it being difficult to control, and you can have problems with your arm because the sweet spot is smaller, so it is harder to hit it correctly, which therefore causes shocks in the arm.